If you take only one thing away from this article, make it that. 3. Love/Hate is Matthew Berry's definitive preseason column on which players to draft in fantasy football in 2020, from the top players in the rankings to endgame Because you're gonna win your league -- with my help -- and you're gonna do it with point guards. So even though someone like Lamar Odom is eligible at small forward, he gets power forward numbers in terms of boards and blocks.). But one good run and you're screwed. Hines was not one of them. The draft strategy I used to win that league is the same one I've written about for almost a decade. With our guard slots, we must win the assists category and look to be in the upper tier in 3s and steals while shooting well from the line. And that winning gets you into the playoffs and gives you a shot at the title. I hate leagues that count turnovers. When it comes to fantasy sports, I'm a sucker for believing most things Matthew Berry writes. Green was hurt, but he's got Matthew Berry's Love/Hate for 2019 ; Animal Jam Item Worth Wiki And as a result I can confirm what my very first commissioner, beloved former commissioner for life, Don Smith, would always say to me on draft day: "It's only the best day of the year.". 7. Well, some fantasy logic applies to all sports, and the biggest one is that you need guys who touch the ball. Conner, meanwhile, has one year of being truly elite and one year of being an injury-prone committee back. In July 2019, we had no idea that Dennis Kelly and David Quessenberry, both offensive linemen for the Titans, would each finish the season with more receptions than A.J. Say you won your league last year. All 15 guys started for each of us, and we saw who was in first place at the end of the season. It's just sort of simple, right? You know how it brings people together. Sixty-five. Do turnovers count, for example? You write down "Paul" in Team 1's G slot. I cannot stress how important this is. Second is the “Draft Day Manifesto,” where he goes over basic and advanced stats and tips to help ensure you succeed in your draft without necessarily recommending certain … JuJu Smith-Schuster J.K. Dobbins is RB40. Know how many players averaged seven assists a game or more last season? If there's ever a week when you need Cole Beasley-type production, you can find it on the waiver wire, I promise. First, there is “100 Facts”, which is both printed in ESPN The Magazine and posted on ESPN.com. We will be doing multiple live-streams of FFPC $350 mid-stakes drafts and writing a bunch of articles specifically geared towards FFPC contests. As mentioned above, a huge rule for fantasy basketball is position eligibility. You can check out my top-200 ranks to see where I personally would draft quarterbacks, but whenever you decide to take the plunge, try to get a running quarterback. Now, Lindsay is a nice player. And that's before one of the deepest wide receiver rookie classes ever came into the league. They both rock. Obviously, that's inflated by Lamar Jackson, but come on. He was just as surprised as you to find out it's a real job. Where do players stand when they have the ball and when they don't have the ball? 1 pick Saquon Barkley would finish with fewer fantasy points than perennial washout DeVante Parker. Amari Cooper. But occasionally sighing a breath of relief when the guy before you picks, as if to say, "Thank God you didn't grab the correct guy," will do wonders to rattle most of your league mates. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT, SO I'M GOING TO TYPE IN ALL CAPS TO MAKE SURE YOU PAY ATTENTION TO IT: When I say "point guards," what I am really talking about are players who play like point guards, at least from a fantasy perspective. Green. What's most likely to happen? Matthew Berry's Love/Hate for 2020 1 Related Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions: Stafford played in only eight games last season, missing action for the first time since the 2010 season. Or, if it is a start-from-scratch league, other than enjoying the Celtics-bashing, that last section wasn't relevant. I talk about this elsewhere in this column, but suffice to say, this year more than ever, every roster spot is precious. But most of these point guards also steal. I'm pretty sure that last one doesn't exist, but it should. The point is, point guards steal a lot more than, say, forwards. Last season's WR9 in PPG) Let the player next to you go safe with a solid yet unspectacular Cole Beasley. It would be awesome if every player on your team were a Derrick Henry, but you're gonna need guys like Latavius Murray, who last season was RB5 from Weeks 7-10. (No. There are … So we'll agree that four categories have fewer producers than others. So just like Paul Pierce's return to the court 30 seconds after he was helped off the floor by two teammates, let's wander in. Look at the 2019 playoffs in ESPN leagues. But what about everything else? We'll add an expert mock draft with analysis and look at all the burning questions, team by team, leading up to the season.If you don't go with the point guards and power forwards approach, your team might also need help remaining upright. So all you can do is minimize risk, give yourself the best odds to succeed every week, make the best call you can in the moment and let the chips fall where they may. But this isn't called the In-Season Management Manifesto, is it? With an altered training offseason and a modified ramp-up to the season, there's worry about players coming off of injuries and even non-injured players just reacclimating to football. Time for the big show. You need to have an opinion on every player and more importantly, on that player (and that player's position) relative to every other player. Paul, Nash, Allen Iverson, Gilbert Arenas, Deron Williams, Baron Davis, etc. (Bitter NBA Finals reference No. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills: Diggs forced his way out of a low-volume, highly efficient Minnesota offense but is arguably in worse conditions in a Buffalo pass offense that has been low-volume, low-scoring and inefficient during the Josh Allen era. Say you get Dwight Howard early on. You must, must, must pay attention to field-goal percentage! Have fun. 2020 versions of 2019 breakouts: Is Kyler Murray this year’s Lamar Jackson? 2 at each position. He would have a high range of weekly outcomes in the weeks in which Kamara was out and, more importantly, you would know when to start him. Last season, eight of the top 10 RBs in terms of points per game averaged at least three receptions per game. 16 guys. So with our five C/PF combo, we should be in the middle of the pack in boards and at least in the middle of the pack in field-goal percentage. Well, in 2018, in this scoring system, Ben Roethlisberger was the third-best QB. No moves, no trades, no nothing. It says you need 95 points per week. So why keep it all to yourself? You win leagues not by picking Shawn Marion in the first round. Trust me. A common expression used in baseball is "VORP," which stands for value over replacement player. Currently, Matthew Berry writes a number of larger fantasy articles annually for what is now known as ESPN’s Fantasy Football Draft Kit. Well, you know your league, where you pick, your rules, etc. And given a full season, Arenas easily would have surpassed the mark. If you play in a league that requires you to start shooting guards, that is fine. Kelce has four straight seasons of at least 80 receptions and 1,000 yards and he's returning to play for Andy Reid with Mahomes as his quarterback. Understand there's way too much information out there, so it's not about the amount you consume but the quality of it and how you interpret it. Do not overspend to keep one of them; you can win without a good center. That's a pretty good list, wouldn't you say? If nothing else, the intro is helpful to understand how analysis is created. Mike Clay looks at candidates to break out in 2020, comparing them to those who actually did … Why keep them if they are not a bargain? The NFL season is nearly upon us, and it's time to shake the pandemic blues, bust out your tablets, do your research and plunge head-on into fantasy football on ESPN.com.Matthew Berry's 10 lists of 10 is as much a staple of fantasy draft prep as calling a caterer. Fifteen rounds. So, are we up to date so far? Final point here -- and not to be morbid -- but every league commish (and maybe every team?) As my good friend Joe Bryant of FootballGuys.com fame likes to say, it's a game with an oblong ball made of leather. Remember, we do this for leisure. Every rule -- even the minute ones such as whether you can place an injured guy in an injured reserve slot and replace him without cutting him -- will play a part in how you draft. In 2018, the seven most popular "players" on playoff rosters were picked in the 12th round or later, with three of them not getting drafted at all. You will need both before we are done. • Darren Waller: Undrafted, on a playoff team in 63.4% of leagues. But we'll come back to steals in a sec. should have someone else who can access the league. So it's a no-brainer -- just like rooting for a team filled with homegrown young talent instead of a bunch of hired-gun malcontents who couldn't win on their original teams. Check this out if you are having concerns about how to handle draft day, in addition to reading the advice on the "Draft Prep" page. Mike Clay looks at candidates to break out in 2020, comparing them to those who actually did … After you get past the LeBrons, Kobes and Dirks, it's really all the same. 5. Julian Edelman He's a rebound machine, a block machine, and he even gets almost a steal per game. But I just want to provide an example of narrow vs. wide range of yearly outcomes among players being valued similarly in drafts. You remember fun, right? If you can't find one, don't force it. DJ Chark Jr. made that list (he was undrafted in 88% of ESPN leagues). And if anything happened to Gordon, the Broncos still have Royce Freeman, who played all 16 games last season. It's more than the number of people who think that dominating the lesser Eastern Conference for home-court advantage is an accomplishment, I'll tell you that. How many roster spots do you have? SHARES. 2020 versions of 2019 breakouts: Is Kyler Murray this year’s Lamar Jackson? Go with another power forward. Give yourself some surplus so you have something to trade. I know some folks are talking up Hines this year as a deep PPR sleeper because of Philip Rivers' penchant for dumping off to his running backs, and I actually buy that. If your fantasy football season is a house -- and at this point in the article why wouldn't it be? Frank Gore forever. Look, instead of getting a "hole" -- a guy who will just sit in your lineup and not do a lot -- I would rather pick a guy like Erick Dampier who will earn for me five points, five boards and two blocks per game. Personally, I like to make my own list. I want you to win, I really do. I already mentioned this when I brought up Lamar Odom, but I want to re-emphasize this. It really is. Just be confident. The fantasy football season is upon us with the NFL’s first game scheduled for Thursday, Sep. 10. This is key. You will be able to field a solid team with a bunch of $1 forwards. I'll drop from this list everyone who didn't get at least 100 3s last season. Listen, you've done the research. You don't need to have stats or projections memorized, but just a general sense of how much you like that guy in comparison with other players. And because of that (and because they tend to get hurt more often than other positions), most fantasy managers will roster anywhere from five to eight running backs. I think the show was run much better when Berry was out for a couple weeks! The difference between, say, Amare Stoudemire and Brendan Haywood is huge, while the difference between Jermaine O'Neal) (13.6 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game) and Al Harrington (13.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg) is not very much, but one will go for a lot more than the other. (No. I like to group players. And, of course, if you're playing in a league with friends/family/co-workers and have played with them before, hopefully you have an idea of their tendencies as well. "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." Just like you want a running back and a quarterback in football, you want the guy who touches the ball in hoops the most: the point guard. Every week. In-season roster decision-making will be crucial for you to get to the promised land. VIEWS. But there is no way I'll get Odom's production for seven bucks. If you wanted Allen and Brady in the third tier, I get it, and that's the point. Tony Parker doesn't earn as many assists as other upper-tier point guards not because isn't any good -- he's actually a terrific player -- but because of the way the Spurs run their offense. 6. But somehow Davante Adams is still there. But let's talk about those of you in. No trades, waivers, start/sit, nothing. I generally think if you are smart when you draft, you can finish in the middle of the pack, and that will be OK. Whichever list or eligibility rules you choose, you need to know what it is. And we've probably been playing a bit longer. 24. 4. Marvin Jones Jr. (WR12 last season in Weeks 1-9, when Matthew Stafford was healthy). Specifically, a small forward who gets 3s and steals. Because you make no moves beyond the draft, you sometimes draft in a way you might not otherwise in a season-long league (multiple defenses, QBs, etc.). Do you have an IR spot? It isn't enough to just have an opinion on every potential player. Gimme the guy who could be top-five for a few weeks and useless the rest of way over the guy who, in the best-case scenario, could be a flex play all season. He has at least nine touchdowns in every season. In this year’s Draft Kit fans will find new editions of Matthew Berry’s Draft Day Manifesto and his Love/Hate column, Tristan Cockcroft’s best picks for each draft slot in rounds 1 and 2, and Field Yates’ 10 Simple Rules for Fantasy Football Draft Success for players who, as Yates puts it, find themselves “talking about something that you know you should know all about, but – without admitting … First come, first served; a waiver system; or a "FAAB" bidding system, where you'll have a chance at every free agent? I mentioned it earlier and I'll say it again: Wait on WRs. Sure, when healthy, Adams, Hill and Evans did as well, but that's sort of the point. But so what? In the event you or someone close to you contracts COVID, the last thing you're gonna want to deal with is fantasy football. OK, by picking a guy like him, you automatically have a chance to compete in those three areas. I'm sure you're willing to trust me, but doing this for every category will help. That's five years of data showing us that the RB position dries up faster than the WR position. Instead of reaching for a guy like Sam Cassell just to have someone, grab another center. That takes care of those three categories. The teams returning the same head coach and offensive coordinator from 2019 are: Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas, New England, New Orleans, New York Jets, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, Tennessee. Which means you need a small forward who guns 3s -- Rashard Lewis, anyone? And before you scream one-year sample size, note that over the past five years, only 50% of QBs drafted top 10 at the position finished as a top-10 performer at the position. Most importantly, wear a mask, wash your hands, socially distance yourself, be smart and safe, and cross your fingers we get a season. Per Tagliere, the Jaguars have allowed a league-leading 8.83 yards per attempt to quarterbacks. Going back to that Scott Fish Bowl league I mentioned earlier. In 2019, WR2 in total points was Chris Godwin and RB2 was a finally freed Aaron Jones. Obviously, you need to be paying attention all year long; you need to make smart pickups, trade smartly and read ESPN.com every single day. I'm a big believer in letting the draft come to you and not forcing anything, but other than Michael Thomas, every first-rounder this year for me is a running back. LeBron defies description. So focus on the fun. In other words, if you are not drafting a starter with a reasonably narrow range of outcomes for his yearly production, then your bench (which is basically what you are drafting from Round 8 or 9 on, assuming you have a QB at this point) should feature players with the potential for a very high weekly ceiling. And players' values change within a draft as well, as everyone approaches the draft differently and suddenly certain positions are more scarce or more abundant than they were two rounds ago. So, with that in mind, please pay attention. Oh, and to do this strategy properly, you need to avoid Shaquille O'Neal) at all costs. Here were the top 10 WRs in total points for the 2019 season (PPR scoring): 1. If he isn't solid in, say, field-goal percentage, remember that you need to go higher up in that category with the next people you draft to compensate. Immediately. That's right. And Ramon Sessions averaged 7.5 assists last season but played in only 17 games, so he didn't count. 0. In Scott Fish Bowl, Week 13 is the first week of the playoffs, which is when the Panthers and Christian McCaffrey are currently scheduled to have their bye. Or to look at Leon Powe's getting more free throws (13) than the entire Lakers team combined? More information Draft-Day Manifesto: How to draft your fantasy football team the Matthew Berry way What's most likely to happen? For me, that means when evaluating players, I am going to focus on players who are in as similar a situation as possible to the one they were in last season. Josh Allen 20.89 I'm gonna repeat it once more because it's that's important: At a fundamental level, the key to fantasy football success is minimizing risk on a weekly basis to give yourself the best odds to win. The official audio version of Matthew Berry's 2017 Draft-Day Manifesto, read to you by the soothing voice of Secret Squirrel himself. Two positions are rare in fantasy hoops. Not that many. Just realize that player value changes all the time, with every practice, tweet, coach comment and more. And in every mock I did, I drafted Austin Ekeler with the final pick of the second round (24th overall). By the way, 11th and 12th were DeVante Parker and Jarvis Landry, two other guys who weren't drafted anywhere near the top 10 (and Parker was a free-agent pickup in most leagues). Whatever. Mo Williams will be just fine. In any case, knowledge is power. And TMZ.com is another terrific site, although, to be fair, it usually has photos of Lindsay Lohan throwing up over fantasy sports content. And finally, know that it's not just about acquiring players (in the draft, via free agency, via trade) but also how you use them. Oh, and five of the top 10 QBs were not top 10 the previous season. By the way, if you're playing PPR, whenever you're drafting RBs, try to get one who catches passes. (No. Is it 1.5 PPR for tight ends? 2020 versions of 2019 breakouts: Is Kyler Murray this year’s Lamar Jackson? You might be able to get an even better player with your No. Here's a list of guys who show up on the above assists and 3s lists and also averaged at least one steal a game: Paul (2.7), Davis (2.3), Iverson (1.9), Bryant (1.8), James (1.8), Arenas (1.7), Kidd (1.7), Alston (1.3), Billups (1.3), Carter (1.2), Bibby (1.2), Johnson (1.0) and Crawford (1.0). If your league has not set up a way to determine this, you need to do so ASAP. We play to build on strength. We had no idea that backup quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who didn't get into a game until Week 6, would finish with the same number of touchdown passes as consensus top-10 QB pick Baker Mayfield, who played in all 16 games. • Austin Ekeler: 91.6 ADP, on a playoff team in 63.9% of leagues Uncategorized. OK, let's prepare for the draft. Most important Day of the book, and five of the Rent-A-Celtics which positions are scarce and which in. 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